Players probe the code of Aliens: Colonial Marines, find some fixes

Maybe when the industry and players panned Aliens: Colonial Marines for being a hot mess, it was only because we all approached it from the wrong angle. Perhaps Colonial Marines'true gameplay value lies in its modding opportunities, specifically those that would fix the game's graphics, lighting, AI, UI and anything else that might need it.

Groups of players with programming skills are taking to the Colonial Marines source code, attempting to patch up the game (for PC) on their own. The Steam and Gearbox forums host a number of fix guides, including this step-by-step walkthrough with pre-made files from Steam user adonys.

Gearbox forum member kutjong notes an interesting phenomenon within the Colonial Marines code: "It's quite fascinating to study the .ini files. In PecanCompat.ini you can see all the graphics cards that qualify for a certain class. The most modern graphics card in that list is from 2007!" This Gearbox thread in particular hosts some comparison screenshots from before and after players have fiddled with the code, including the enhanced shot above. Game on, coders.

Aliens: Colonial Marines Info

Description

Developed by Brothers-in-Arms creator, Gearbox Software, Aliens: Colonial Marines is a squad-based first-person shooter which recaptures the tension, horror and combat of the movies that created the sci-fi action horror genre. In the game, players battle Aliens using a variety of awesome weapons including pulse-rifles and flamethrowers, plus brand-new equipment and skills. Aliens: Colonial Marines will retain the atmospheric look and feel of the original films while leveraging next-generation technology to create an entirely new interactive Aliens experience. Claustrophobic environments, a brooding soundtrack, and a multitude of surprises and shocks will take the tension and action to unparalleled levels. Game modes include a single-player campaign plus four-person multiplayer player co-op.